With Each New Wound
by Opal21
Summary: Pepper reaches a breaking point. How can anyone cope for so long, seeing the one they love get hurt every day? Based on the song "My Beautiful Rescue" and dedicated to M.Infinity.


Prompt: "My Beautiful Rescue" by This Providence

* * *

_I've been jumping from the tops of buildings_

_For the thrill of the fall, ignoring sound advice and any thought of consequence_

_My bones have shattered, my pride is shattered_

_And in the midst of this self-inflicted pain, I can see my beautiful rescue

* * *

_

One day, Pepper Potts walks out the door without looking back. She keeps her shoulders tensed to the point of soreness, anything to suppress the cacophony of thoughts racing in her head.

That idiot. That cheeky, reckless idiot.

Didn't he care at all? If he died, it would provoke terrorist efforts and undermine his support of world peace and create national turmoil and—it would leave her alone—

The thought made her feel more than sick. It made her feel empty and broken, her heart rent apart by the tragedy that hadn't even happened yet. Because of this feeling, which she couldn't stand anymore, Pepper had stormed out of Tony's mansion in an effort to walk out of his life.

Under a dreary, cloud-covered sky, the redhead made her way to a convenient hotel; she blocked out thoughts of _what would I do without you?_ and _even if you're not there, it could still happen—he can still be hurt—_you've_ hurt him_ with pragmatic questions about how to retrieve her things and arrange for an indefinite stay in this establishment and how lucky she was that it hadn't started raining yet.

And so she moved on. Yet, there was a hollow feeling to her life. It seemed like someone up there enjoyed playing practical jokes when reports on Iron Man's newest feats received daily news coverage; as if fate was criticizing her for skirting the inevitable.

But worst of all, it hurt to know that Tony was coping… in the shallowest sense of the word. On the surface, he seemed to be handling his company well and managing to continue his international exploits. Pepper could see, though, his lost expression in today's headliner photo. It was so different from the way he used to smile at her, easy and confident, replacing Pepper's own frowns with a tiny grin.

Whenever Tony smiled, Pepper was filled with some of his own self-assurance. Raindrops began to pelt her window the moment she realized: she had effectively extinguished this source of solace.

_

* * *

I'm falling more in love with every single word I withhold_

_I'm falling more in love with every single word you say_

_I'm falling head over heels for you…

* * *

_

Pepper Potts has been, still is, and forever will be madly in love with Tony Stark. His dazzling smile was just the beginning of it; as time went on, their interactions played out like a fairy tale: much too wonderful to be true.

He was strong, but brilliant. He was both stunningly independent yet deeply compassionate. He was always especially understanding of Pepper, and she felt the same intuitive knowledge toward him. Of course they fell in love.

Again, it was too fantastic. Pepper recognized the deeper her emotions went, the more anxious she would get when Tony didn't return right on schedule from missions. She felt a little more breathless every time his radio would go silent, a little more appalled at each new wound he would endure.

It hurt _too much_, she thought.

_

* * *

I've been dancing on the tops of buildings_

_At the top of my lungs I'm singing you a song "don't you leave me alone"_

_My bones are shattered, my pride lay shattered_

_Well I'll trample my pride and tell the whole world to dance with me

* * *

_

If that hurt so badly, Pepper wondered, then how on Earth was she surviving now?

The most recent breaking news story was all about Iron Man's narrow escape from death. In fact, for the past week, there had been constant reports on the national hero's capture, imprisonment, and daring break for freedom from a surprisingly brutal terrorist faction. It had been agony for Pepper all along.

This feeling was akin to what she had always feared, but infinitely worse because she wasn't there. Tony had had to suffer this trial alone. Why hadn't Pepper been there, to wish him good luck on the mission or murmur encouragements into his radio?

After hours of driving randomly through town, Pepper eventually found herself slowing down outside the gates of the Stark manor. She parked her rented car on the side of the road and walked, in a pace measured and slow, toward the pillar where the intercom speaker was embedded. Would Jarvis answer her if she called? Or would the animated source of intelligence, as the only reliable one left, be tending its injured creator?

Staring at the contrast created by the sharp outline of the house and the murky sky behind it, the redhead arrived at another epiphany. She would still fear for Tony's life whether she was in daily contact with him or not.

It figured, because she would still love him no matter how much distance was between them. The past few weeks had been pointless, Pepper had enough humility to admit. She was going to care for him anyway. Why spend the precious time they did have apart?

She needed to be by his side again, but how? How could she feasibly close the gaping rift that had formed? Pepper was uncertain of how things stood between her and Tony; the only thing she was sure of, was that…

"…I don't want to lose you."

_

* * *

I'm falling more in love with every single word I withhold_

_I'm falling more in love with every single word you say_

_I'm falling head over heels for you again.

* * *

_

"Usually, people say that to me when I _leave_ the house, but uh—" Pepper whipped around in shock, "—I'll take what I can get, considering the circumstances."

And she finally saw it again, that beautiful smile on Tony's face. It was a little more tentative and even his witty line sounded somewhat unsure. But to Pepper, it was all the more endearing.

There were a million words she could have said. They seemed too pointless, so Pepper simply embraced him, breathed him in, and it didn't take long for Tony to reciprocate. Wrapped up in his arms, Pepper imagined it was like admitting they were in love all over again.

_

* * *

Well I'm crying out, wash my hands these bloody hands Lord,_

_Open my mouth and I'll sing, woah oh oh oh.

* * *

_

Everything up to that moment, its meaning and consequence, appeared very clearly to Pepper: she was never going to leave him. So the redhead held Tony tighter, in an effort to heal the pain between them.

_

* * *

I'm falling more in love with every single word I withhold_

_I'm falling more in love with every single word you say_

_I'm falling head over heels for you.

* * *

_

Soon, Pepper had resituated herself in the manor. The two fell back into their daily routines.

But there was something different in their dynamic: more often than before, their hands would entwine while walking from one part of the house to the other; Tony would plant a chaste kiss on Pepper's cheek before each press conference; they started using pet names that would completely embarrass the both of them.

One night, while nestling into Tony's hold, Pepper attributed it to them wanting to treasure each moment they had together.

_

* * *

I've been dancing on the tops of buildings…

* * *

_

Pepper knew all this righteous action was dangerous. Tony was risking his physical wellbeing every day, and Pepper was also vulnerable to all the misfortunes associated with the life of a super hero. They were in this treacherous deal together.

And she wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

…with you.

_

* * *

_

**A/N:**_ Hope you enjoyed! Dedicated to my buddy , who suggested the prompt. It's funny, I seem incapable of writing anything with an angsty ending.  
_


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